As I was heading out to take my walk on this beautiful morning, my mother called after me, “Enjoy the flowers!”
“I will,” I said to her, closing the front door behind me. Smiling, I made my way up the first sidewalk, recalling how my mother has always loved flowers. When we were children, she’d even slow down our car when we came to an abundant garden or planter in front of some random house. Our father used to say that our mother drove 25 miles-per-hour unless she spotted flowers. Even at an early age I pondered, what was wrong with that?!
Now Available in Paperback and for Kindle!
As I grew older, I was more concerned with guy things like the smell of a leather mitt and bubbled gum, then how far I hit a seven-iron and eventually the allure of big brown eyes. Still—and secretly, because I tried to project as macho an image as a nerdy weakling could—I’ve always loved flowers; their elegant petals, their poise while swaying with a summer breeze and their delicate and unique scents. Though quite fragile, flowers proudly stand and face the sun, fearless in their desire to be flowers, to express their delicate loveliness for anyone who would take a moment to appreciate them. Their lifespans are brief, yet they do not dawdle in expressing their individual exquisite link in the eternal chain of flower to fruit to seed to blossom to flower.
Unfortunately, as I walked my route this morning, I didn’t see any flowers. I realize it’s only February but this is Southern California and, as our daytime temperatures frolic in the mid 80’s, there have been quite a few blossoms these past few weeks and many of the trees are sprouting light green leaves above their older, darker green ones. But, darn! My Mom reminded me to enjoy the flowers and there were none to be seen.
Blossoming with Life
Well, wait. There was a little yellow flower growing amidst the grass between the sidewalk and the street. I know it wasn’t a dandelion, but I don’t know exactly what it was. I once had a girlfriend who could name almost every flower I would spot and knowing the names of them was fun. But not knowing the name of this little yellow flower did not detract from my enjoyment of it. What was it William said? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet?
I was happy that I’d spotted the little floret and my gaze soon widened to recognize it was not alone. There, but a few feet away, were more of the miniature, buttery blossoms. I pulled out my cell and snapped a picture of the little fellow so I could show my mother that I’d at least enjoyed one flower (and his brethren).
I continued my walk and in what was but a few yards I saw another type of flower. Cool! I’ll take a quick pic and share this with my mom, too! Soon I saw another flower and then another. Some were planted by homeowners but quite a few were not. Many were little wild flowers which sprang up next to a fence post or peeked out on that trimmed line between a lawn and sidewalk.
As I continued my morning trek—and turned my attention to looking for flowers—I noticed more and more flowers and varieties. They were all around me. I bent and stooped with my cell phone to collect a shot of as many as I could. I smiled as I saw what had heretofore been invisible to my sight. Now that I was focusing on looking for flowers, I saw them everywhere.
See the Presence of God
At one of my recent weekly meetings, there was discussion about someone’s frustration at not being able to “feel the presence of God.” I didn’t speak up and share my opinion, but my first thoughts were that some of us try too hard, we make too much of an effort. It’s our ego telling us that if we pray enough or mediate enough or we’re good enough for long enough then someday we’ll make a connection and feel the presence of God in our life. But if we can know that we are all a part of God, as His beloved children in whom He is well pleased, we can know that there is no effort at all to be made. There is only remembering that it is so and opening up to that connection.
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him…” ~ Revelation 3:20
One way I use to make a connection, to practice this knowing, is to look for the blessings, the little miracles in everyday life that surround me. Once, when I was without work or a place to live, a dear friend and his wife offered me a room for four months. During that time, to quell my rising fear at being “without,” I played a game. I decided that I would be grateful for every little thing I could find.
Joking My Way to Awareness
In my room, they had a large cabinet that was designed to hold a TV and video player. There was no TV inside but they offered it to me as a dresser in which to keep my clothing. There were three lower drawers and a top section that was to enclose the Television set. Inside the doors there was a shelf and two small drawers that had been designed to store VHS tapes. Instead of having a knob to pull the drawers, there was a half-moon cutout that you could grasp to retract the drawer. In one I kept my socks and in the other, my underwear. One morning, instead of opening the drawer, I just snatched a pair of underwear through the half-moon opening. I laughed to myself and retrieved a pair of socks in the same way. “Ha!” I thought. “You’re supposed to be poor, yet you have your own sock and underwear dispenser! How many people have that?”
It was a lighthearted joke to myself, but I liked how I felt. Without much conscious effort, I began looking for all of the little things in my day that were a blessing. I didn’t edit. I looked for a blessing no matter how large or small. The more I looked, the more blessings I saw and with my gratitude, small jobs began showing up to allow me to buy food and stay alive. And, obviously, for each of those I expressed my gratitude.
A week or so later, my friend was standing in my doorway and we were having a brief conversation. I had just finished my shower and was getting ready for my day. He stopped to ask me some question and we were chatting about not letting tough times get you down. I smiled and said, “Tough times?! How many people do you know who have their own sock and underwear dispenser?!” As I tugged them from the drawer he laughed out loud and said, “Just keep that attitude!”
I have not always been able to remain in a constant state of gratitude, but it is my desire to do so each day. And, just as with the many little flowers I saw on my walk this morning, I’m reminded by them that His blessings and miracles can be seen when we take the time to look for them. And I think that if we spend time, take a moment to look for those blessings, we will see them in greater numbers and they will continue to multiple in our lives.
Everywhere I look, I can find a flower. Everywhere I look, I can find a miracle or blessing.
